How’s Your Social Marketing Thingy Working Out?

Our 2009 online business year was the year of kicks, slaps, ,bites, scratches, smacks and heavy rule changes in regards to enforcement in the web 2.0 Social Marketing world.

Social Marketing real estate saw a garguangatuan rise in user/members by the marketer folks, followed quickly by an equally large surge of spammers and spoogers. One might wonder if they’re the same folks?

Early on though we saw  more than one of the Social Marketing biggies get punished by Google for their lack of properly dotting ‘i’s and crossing ‘t’s.

Now those series of slaps and gouges by the search engines is being passed down to you and me.

Almost everyone I know in the Internet Marketing community has clinched their marketing belts, set-up restricted access to content, slowed down on  links they’re using and implemented (overnight) lots of other rules to attempt to keep Google from laying waste to their future earnings. Good luck with that one.

Social networking was once a way for us to share information and opinions with co-workers, friends and family – it’s so very much more than that now.

Social will continue to pave the way for marketers to immerse themselves in communities where targeted consumers hang around, where they can convert peer traffic into clicks and rack up more and more sales.

Click on the ” > ” below to listen in:

Click Here to Download This Episode

Look What’s Inside (candy-coated popcorn, peanuts & a prize)!

For your comfort and ease maybe you should take a look at what the future holds.

Join me for a quick glance at what the “Little Black Book of Internet Marketing Predictions 2010″ has to show you.

If your life and business feels a little stuck because what you shot for in January is still out there somewhere trying to find you, then read on.

Here are topics and conversations we’ll explore in our series…

  • How’s Your social Marketing Thingy Working Out?
  • I’ll Get Totally focused… In a Minute!
  • Is the Internet Marketing Pie Still Big Enough?
  • Are My Info Product Days Numbered?
  • What’s New & Trending Around Info Products NOW?
  • ¿Habla español?
  • You Just Missed Mothers Day. What’s Seasonal Selling?
  • Is This the Year You Finally Get Everything You Deserve?
  • Strategies That Work & Don’t
  • What Coaching/Consulting Really Mean to Your Bottom Line

Click on the ” > ” below to listen in:

Click Here to Download This Episode

Where Little Black Books Go…

Flash back to the year 2009.

A studious and steadfast marketer labored over yet another “Internet Marketing Predictions” e-Book. Fortune and glory were the only obstacles in our young hero’s path.

He knew his predictions for 2010 would sweep the IM community, draw high praise from the “guru” elite and cause vast wealth to manifest at the twinkling of an eye…

Then life happened. In a moment it felt like having a rug pulled out from under you — and you didn’t even know there was a rug there. Ouch.

Here indeed is the next incarnation of “Little Black Book of Internet Marketing Predictions 2010″. Listen for what is new to your ears. All the rest is merely detail.

After thinking it was gone for good, there are new insights to be extracted for the rest of your 2010.

Are we where we wanted to be 5 months into the New Year? 

Click on the ” > ” below to listen in:

Click Here To Download This Episode (mp3)

Time Management & Tomatoes

Questions usually show up around business conversion sooner or later. One of the big ones asked and overheard on a regular basis is about what are good time management systems, tools etc.

For several years now I’ve run across a common thread in the time management tapestry. That common thread wraps around the core concept of timing tasks using some kind of count down mechanism telling you a certain amount of time has passed. Like an oven timer.

Until recently the name was a mystery to me.

Enter the Pomodoro Technique and common sense instructions on how to use the technique.

What I like is there’s finally a name for the set of tools surrounding what had only been a vague reference. That this set of free tools has been hanging around since 1993 or so also prompts a big thumbs up.

My own experience with Pomodoro is still a work in progress. While I enjoy the timed value for doing mundane tasks and assignments, I have difficulty stopping work on something I enjoy doing.

For another (more in depth) look give this blog post by Alyssa Gregory a read through. Good stuff.

Francisco Cirillo (the Pomodoro creator) has further insights on the current happenings around the technique on his blog. 

Click here to download the PDF (no charge or opt-in required).

“It’s Worth Testing!”

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished; If you’re alive, it isn’t.” ~ Richard Bach

On occasion we’ll want to test what matters to us most. Often what we might think matters the most gets confirmed (or denied) when we simply dip a toe in the water.

Is it cold or is it warm?

Is it right or is it wrong?

Is it up or is it down?

When you showed up here to read my words, I’m guessing that in some way you are “testing”. You’re putting your toe in the water.

What follows is the result of an experiment. Enjoy the results shared here and then go out and test something of your own.

Not to long ago an inspiration hit me right between the eyes. Although now that I think about it, the evidence is clear (to me anyway) that a Muse actually whispered in my ear.

Do you have a Muse? Amazing and wonderfully elusive creatures they are (however my dear friends that’s a story for another post).

Back to the task at hand.

Where were we?

Oh yes! Now I remember!

Wet toes and testing the water(s)…

Here is the experiment that took place.

As you may or may not know, it has been my pleasure to log over 250 hours running tele-seminars, tele-conferences and webinars behind the curtain. Likely you’ve listened to or watched something where the person pushing the buttons behind the scenes was me.

There have also been many of those hours where it was a pleasure to have a microphone and be able to dance with the energies that showed up on a given call.

Energy dances are beautiful waters to put your toes in by the way. Just sayin’.

Usually these kinds of calls are structured events. They’re based on working models relevant to a given task at hand. Maybe they’re sales calls, training calls, learning calls, master mind calls or a combination/variation of all four.

Okay. This is where the experiment comes in.

What if we did a tele-conference call with the only agenda being “conversation”?

No set structure other than a time limit. Could it be done and what might we learn from the results of sticking our collective toes in the water?

Below you’ll see a point-and-click-simple audio player plus an audio (mp3) download link.

Three folks showed up after personal invitations sent out via e-mail and direct messages the night before. Over twenty five people were invited directly.

Another thousand or so may or may not have seen announcements posted on Twitter and Facebook the day of the event.

Of the twenty five plus I invited personally, several were kind enough to let me know they had other commitments.

After all, this was a spur of the moment event that took place on a sunny, warm and spring like Saturday afternoon (not considered a regular business day by most).

My sincere thanks and gratitude go to Geoff Hoff, Laureen Falco and Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood for showing up and making the experiment a success!

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, enjoy the show and go test something for yourself (meanwhile I’m going to go dry off my toe)…

Click Here to Download the Call Audio for April 10, 2010 (Mp3)

Authors Note: Ever since this blog was re-modeled and re-furbished I’ve wanted to say a very special “Thank You”.

Here’s to the person behind the scenes who took care of updating the theme, showing me how not to break  the Internet while I’m blogging and how to navigate in my new sandbox.

Thank You Jennifer Brinckman for my new sandbox. Your knowledge and spirit are indeed priceless my friend, and your patience immense!

Newbie, Newbie, Neeeeeeeewbie!

“When you label me, you negate me.” ~ Soren Kierkegaard

For the full effect here replace the taunting words “Nah, Nah, Naaah, Nah, Naaaaaah” with the word “Newbie” and say (or sing) them out loud.

Go ahead. No one is listening and even if they are, think of the conversation you’ll have after.

When you insert the word “Newbie”, the taunt should sound a little something like this…

“Newbie, Newbie, Neeeeeeeewbie”

Maybe you recall hearing those words ring in your ears and knowing someone was being teased, taunted or “put in their place”.

Possibly that “someone” was you.

And if it was you, likely there was a little sting inside because you were being singled out for something that may turn out to be a simple opinion belonging to someone else or even an out and out lie.

When I hear any Internet Marketer casually drop the label “Newbie” on an unsuspecting person who just happens to be new to Internet Marketing, the sound makes me cringe.

Even more painful is hearing someone who’s new to the landscape use the word to describe themselves. Sadly one does not have to listen long to hear the word uttered.

Okay. It’s break time. As in give yourself a break.

Take in a deep breath and try this on…

Everyone of us from the newest and least experienced to the veterans in our midst face things each day in business that we don’t have a clue how to handle. Doesn’t matter who we are or what we bring to the marketing table.

There’s always something we don’t even know that we don’t know yet.

And if there’s not, then we may want to take a long look at the activities we’re involved in when we work on our businesses.   

If you’re not consistently uncomfortable you are likely not growing your business (there’s a beautiful paradox in there somewhere).

For certain you’re not giving yourself credit for the talent, skills and unique attributes you already possess.

Hey. All the things you need to know, be and do are out there ready to be learned, applied and acted upon.

Does it make sense if the word “Newbie” is the label you give yourself or someone gives you (and you accept) that you’re going to think, be and do a ”Newbie”?

Of course it does. Or you would not have read his far.

Next time you hear “Newbie” or even read the word in an e-mail, article or blog, let it go. Make up your mind that you’re not going to wrap yourself up in a silly label someone you may love, respect or admire puts on you.

Now comes the hard part… turn away from the so called expert and seek good advice elsewhere. If  that expert is willing to publicly put a label on folks, you really don’t want to hear what’s being said about you in private.

And when you catch yourself calling the Internet Marketer inside of you a ”Newbie”, take a mental step back and realize what you hear may be only an opinion. Then pat yourself on the back and remember all the wondrous attributes that brought you here in the first place.

As far as skills go (lack of experience usually accounts for the discomfort in the skill department) figure out one thing you want to learn right now – and go learn, apply and act on it. Only one thing. Not twenty. Okay?

Perhaps the Kierkegaard quote at the start of this post should have read; “When I label me, I negate me”. 

Let me know in the comments what your thoughts and ideas are. Always appreciated.

Adventures In WordPress Land

Have you ever let something overwhelm you to the point you just plain stopped in your tracks?

Yes?

For the longest time I know I have. This blog is a perfect example of one of those “overwhelm” moments for me.

Even though I’ve been earning a living online for more than 3 years, this is my very first WordPress blog… and for most of the last 2 years this blog has sat idle collecting cyber-dust.

So what makes now the right time to blow off the dust, dig in and have some fun?

Especially after 2 years of only using the Liquid Life Solutions domain as a way to create affiliate link re-directs in my hosting account (if you don’t know what that means, ask. I’ll be happy to show you).

Simply this…

It is time.

Yes I know that may sound too simple and you’re thinking there’s got to be some other deeper more mysterious reason behind sudden inspiration.

Nope. None as far as I know right now.

However I’m open to the possibilities of what might surface as I work and play here in my new sandbox.

And yes. I’ll share as any those reasons show up (sounds like great topics for future posts).

You see, I’m finding “overwhelm” is overcome by just the doing of the activity. No matter how much we might regret or dread the task, or even what other “stuff” may be showing up in our lives on any given day.  

Want to learn with me? Great!

Then lets you and I have the adventure in WordPress Land. What do you think?

Let me know in the comments.

It is time.

Liquid Life Solutions Moving In…

Before we begin, I want to send a HUGE thank you out to Ronda Del Boccio, The Story Lady, for having me as a guest on The FAB-5 radio show at BlogTalk Radio.

Here’s a link to the show: Mark Horn on The Fab-5 Radio Show

And now some of the rest of the story…

Below you’ll find out more about what’s going on with Liquid Life Solutions. Be comfortable and read on as I settle in.

Liquid Life Solutions… notes, musings, ideas, questions, conversations, observations and an opinion or two (from one being human) on the business of business and the business of life.

You’re cordially invited to attend and enjoy the ramblings, rants, writings and recordings of my Liquid Life Solutions entrepreneurial, metaphysical adventures!

Thanks for showing up. Your eyes and ears are greatly appreciated.

Here are a few links where you can find out more about me and projects currently on the table…

Friend me on Facebook (but please don’t put silly things on my wall).

Follow me on Twitter (and I’ll likely follow you back).

Hear me on Conversation with Ben Mack & Kevin Hogan

Join me in Ben Mack’s cult(ure) over here…

ECOMMERCE + PROFITS = REAL WORLD BRANDING

Enjoy.

Authors Note: Original post written May 16, 2008. Links have been fixed or replaced and minor edits have been made as of April 10, 2010. QE4DQ7MSMJ6D

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